Swimming Strokes - and How they Evolved

Series

Series Name
Eve And Everybody’s Film Review

Issue

Issue No.
614
Date Released
9 Mar 1933
Stories in this Issue:

Story

Summary
British Pathe synopsis: "Arranged by W.J. Howcroft and demonstrated by Miss Kathleen Huxley." Introductory intertitle reads: "Probably the original Eve watched a dog and tried to paddle likewise." High angle shot of a woman in a black swimming cap doing doggie paddle in a pool. "Ages passed and the dog paddle gradually evolved into a breast stroke." We then see the breast stroke demonstrated. "The search for speed brought the side stroke." Camera follows Kathleen as she demonstrates the side stroke. "Later, the trudgeon superseded the side stroke." Strange sort of front crawl with a different leg kick is demonstrated. "Further progress occurred when the crawl stroke was discovered. The legs are kept close together, with an up-and-down "thrash", thus lessening resistance to forward movement." Camera follows Kathleen as she crosses the pool doing the front crawl. "The crawl developed and speed became still greater." She swims across the pool. Various shots of her swimming. "In the same way the double-arm backstroke has developed..." This stroke is demonstrated. "...into the back-crawl. Here the legs work up and down, and do not impede, while the arms are actuated alternately." The back crawl is demonstrated.
Keywords
Swimming
Written sources
Pathe Inventory File   Tin No.257
British Pathe Database 1997   Reference No.EP257
Credits:
Production Co.
British Pathe Ltd.

This series is held by:

Film Archive

Name
British Film Institute (BFI)
Email
For BFI National Archive enquiries:
nonfictioncurators@bfi.org.uk
For commercial/footage reuse enquiries:
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Web
http://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web
Phone
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Fax
020 7580 7503
Address
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London W1T 1LN
Notes
The BFI National Archive also preserves the original nitrate film copies of British Movietone News, British Paramount News, Empire News Bulletin, Gaumont British News, Gaumont Graphic, Gaumont Sound News and Universal News (the World War II years are covered by the Imperial War Museum).
Series held
View all series held by British Film Institute (BFI)
Name
British Pathe Ltd
Email
info@britishpathe.com
Web
https://www.britishpathe.com/
Phone
0207 665 8340
Address
3.29 Canterbury Court
1-3 Brixton Road
London
SW9 6DE
Notes
Pathe now also handles the Reuters Historical Collection, which includes the British Paramount, Empire British, Gaumont Graphic and Gaumont British newsreels.
Series held
View all series held by British Pathe Ltd

How to cite this record

'Swimming Strokes - and How they Evolved', Eve And Everybody’s Film Review Issue No. 614, 9 Mar 1933. https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/newsonscreen/search/index.php/story/333158 (Accessed 18 Jul 2025)